Joachim Raff - Piano Quartets (Ensemble Il Trittico)

Information

Composer: Joachim Raff

1. Piano Quartet in G major, Op. 202 No. 1: 1. Allegro
2. Piano Quartet in G major, Op. 202 No. 1: 2. Allegro Molto
3. Piano Quartet in G major, Op. 202 No. 1: 3. Andante quasi Adagio
4. Piano Quartet in G major, Op. 202 No. 1: 4. Allegro
5. Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 202 No. 2: 1. Allegro
6. Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 202 No. 2: 2. Allegro
7. Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 202 No. 2: 3. Larghetto
8. Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 202 No. 2: 4. Allegro

Ensemble Il Trittico
Jan Schultsz, piano
Jonathan Allen, violin
Daniel Pezzotti, cello
&
David Greenlees, viola (guest)

Date: 2011
Label: Divox

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Review

Since the 1980s, the revival of the Romantic music of Joseph Joachim Raff has been centered in Switzerland, where the native-born composer has inspired considerable national pride. This 2011 release was recorded in 2009 in the Salle de Musique of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, so the Ensemble Il Trittico and guest violist David Greenlees performed in a region where Raff enthusiasm is encouraged. Raff's two piano quartets of 1876 are charming works in a familiar 19th century parlor style, and their source of inspiration is the German tradition of Mendelssohn and Schumann. The two works are expressive and at times poignant, but emotion is never promoted at the expense of classical form or time-honored techniques of development and counterpoint. Raff's facility and prolificity were in large part responsible for the suspicion and neglect that attended his music after his death, and it must be admitted that his skill and erudition yielded music of a fairly predictable and tame nature. Yet for all his observance of conventions, Raff always offered idiomatic writing for his instruments and created melodies that were attractive and memorable. Ensemble Il Trittico lends a gemütlich character to the music that makes it ingratiating, and the high-quality SACD multichannel format makes the instruments sound clear, warm, and full. This album is a fine introduction to Raff, and if it doesn't win many converts to his cause, it at least brings to light two unfairly neglected works.

-- Blair Sanderson, AllMusic

More reviews:
http://www.raff.org/records/reviews/chamber/18.htm
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Raff-Quartet-Ensemble-Il-Trittico/dp/B0054DLN5Y
https://www.amazon.com/Raff-Piano-Quartets-Joachim/dp/B0054DLN5Y

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Joachim Raff (May 27, 1822 – June 24 or June 25, 1882) was a German-Swiss composer, teacher and pianist. He worked as Liszt's assistant at Weimar from 1850 to 1853, helping in the orchestration of several of Liszt's works. From 1878 he was the first Director of, and a teacher at, the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt, where he employed Clara Schumann and a number of other eminent musicians as teachers. His pupils there included Edward MacDowell and Alexander Ritter. Raff was very prolific, and by the end of his life was one of the best known German composers, though his work is largely forgotten today.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joachim_Raff

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Ensemble Il Trittico is a Swiss-based piano trio (Jonathan Allen – violin, Jan Schultsz – piano and Daniel Pezzotti – cello). The name ‘Il Trittico’ is derived from Giacomo Puccini’s three single-act operas which are performed as a Trio in one evening. Il Trittico performs and records regularly throughout Europe. Its concert programmes include contemporary music as well as unknown or forgotten masterpieces. Il Trittico has performed and recorded the complete piano chamber music of Joachim Raff, with recording of the complete piano trios for Arte Nova and recording of the two Piano Quartets and two Piano Quintets on the DIVOX label.

http://trittico.ch/

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